So much has happened over the last two weeks on the NSA story that it may be good to take a step back and review events, so as to not get overwhelmed. The Guardian has been the clear leader in covering this story and they have put out two useful pieces.

The news staff of the paper has compiled a timeline of what has been released so far from the NSA files by Edward Snowden

They also provide brief histories of fifteen whistleblowers, starting with Daniel Ellsberg in 1971 to Snowden today.